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Bordered to the west by Puget Sound and to the east by Lake Washington, the city of Seattle is surrounded by water, requiring residents to use more than 150 bridges to navigate the area. See the sights of Seattle from the water aboard one of many vessels operating around the city or aboard an iconic ferry boat to Bainbridge Island or the Kitsap Peninsula.

Seattle Locks Cruise

Seattle's freshwater and saltwater bodies connect at Ballard's Hiram Chittenden Locks. A popular tourist attraction, the locks are used by boats to travel from the salt water of Puget Sound to the fresh water of Lake Union by a unique system of raising and lowering water levels to ensure safe passage. Argosy Cruises offers a 2.5-hour cruise (argosycruises.com) of the locks, Seattle's waterfront, Lake Union's houseboat community and the fisherman's terminal. Board the 85-foot ship with an enclosed deck and full-service bar at Pier 56 in downtown Seattle for Argosy's Locks Cruise. Other Argosy cruises include a two-hour tour of Seattle's lakes, a one-hour harbor cruise of Elliott Bay and a 1.5-hour cruise of Lake Washington.

Washington State Ferry

For a budget-friendly, three-hour cruise of Seattle's waterways, board a Washington State Ferry (wsdot.wa.gov/ferries) to Bainbridge Island, an 8.6-mile journey one way, or to Bremerton, a 15.5-mile trip each way. Drive a vehicle on board the ferry to explore your destination once you arrive or walk on as a passenger and return on a round-trip tour. The estimated crossing time from Seattle to Bremerton, located on the Kitsap Peninsula, is 60 minutes each direction, but waiting times frequently increase each leg of the journey. Travel time to Bainbridge Island is 35 minutes each way and ferries depart at least once every hour. Seattle's ferry terminal is located downtown at Pier 52 on Alaskan Way.

Sunset Dinner Cruise

Cruise Lake Washington while feasting on a four-course meal prepared aboard a sunset dinner tour from Waterways Cruises and Events (waterwayscruises.com). See Seattle's skyline looking west, the bridges connecting the city to the east side and the lakefront residences that dot the shoreline and are owned by some of the city's wealthiest residents. A champagne toast begins the tour and live music plays during some cruises. Waterways Cruise tours depart from Seattle's Northlake Marina and Renton's Southport Marina.

Alki Lighthouse Tour by Kayak

Visitors seeking an adventurous three-hour cruise may schedule a guided kayak tour departing from Alki Point with Alki Kayak Tours (kayakalki.com). The tour meets at the Seacrest Boathouse in Alki for a brief kayak fitting before heading out on Elliott Bay to explore the area and take in views of Seattle's skyline and the Cascade and Olympic mountains. Once they reach the landmark Alki lighthouse, built in 1913, paddlers turn around and return to the starting point. A two-hour sunset tour of Seattle and two-hour tour of Elliott Bay also are available through Alki Kayak Tours.

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About the Author

Michelle Hornaday lives in Edmonds, Washington and holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from Washington State University and a Master of Education from Northern Arizona University. She is currently a freelance writer for various websites.